Combination paint stirrer and brush holder



Dec. 20, 1949 G. 1.. HOFFMAN 2,492,042

COMBINATION PAINT STIRRER AND BRUSH HOLDER Filed July 9 1946 IN V EN TOR.

x George Lfiofl mazz BY w 2 17% ATTOR/VEYS Patented Dec. 20, 1949 COMBINATION PAINT STIRRER AND BRUSH HOLDER George L. Hoffman, Miami, Fla.

Application July 9, 194.6, Serial No. 682,329

3 Claims.

The invention relates to a device for effectively stirring and mixing liquid paint in a can, and more particularly to a paint stirring device which is adapted to be supported in a paint can in such manner as to hold a paint brush over the can.

Common practice in using a can of freshly opened paint is to first stir the paint with a wooden paddle, after which a paint brush is dipped into the liquid paint for applying the same. In using a wooden paddle or the like, the body of the paint Which has settled to the bottom of the can is lumped or coagulated by the lower end of the paddle, which prolongs the time required to thoroughly mix the paint into a uniform consistency. Moreover, when the paint is being used by dipping a brush into the same, it is frequently desirable to put the brush down from time to time, and it is common practice to lay the brush across the top of the can where it is easily knocked off and where the ends of the brush bristles overhang the edges of the can and allow paint to drip down the outside thereof.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel paint stirrer and brush holder which will mix the paint to a uniform consistency and at the same time provide means for holding a paint brush in position over a can of paint having the stirrer inserted therein.

Another object is to provide a novel paint stirrer which will mix paint to a uniform consistency without lumping the paint.

A further object is to provide a novel paint stirrer made of wire and having an offset rim engaging portion cooperating with the stirrer to support the handle of a paint brush.

A still further object is to provide a novel paint stirrer and brush holder which may be inexpensively constructed of a single piece of wire, and which accomplishes all of the foregoing objectives.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, arrangements and combinations which comprise the present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the following general statement, and apreferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illusis particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming part hereof In general terms, the novel paint stirrer and bottom, and a brush holder loop offset from and connected to the stirrer between its top and. bottom loops, said offset loop being adapted to engage over the brim of a can and to cooperate with the handle loop for holding a paint brush in position over the can.

Referring to the drawing forming part hereof, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example;

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved combination paint stirrer and brush holder;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view on a reduced scale' of the improved stirrer in use in stirring paint in a can; and

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the improved stirrer in position holding a paint brush over the can of paint.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

As shown in the drawing, the novel paint stirrer and brush holder may be conveniently and inexpensively made from a single piece of wire having one end forming the offset loop 5, and the other end 6 being twisted on the longitudinal part of the stirrer portion.

The stirrer preferably is of an elongated butterfly shape and includes an upper handle loop 1 and a lower paint stirring loop 8, both of which may be substantially triangular in form as shown with the wire parts forming the loops twisted together to form a relatively stiff connection between the loops as indicated at 9.

The upper handle loop i may be varied considerably in shape without departing from the scope of the invention, and the shape of the lower loop 8 may also be varied to some extent, although its laterally extending bottom portion should be straight and sharpened as indicated at ID, in order to effectively scrape the bottom. of a paint can when mixing the paint contained therein.

One leg of the upper loop 1 is a continuation of one leg of the lower loop 8 and the other leg 1 at its lower end forms part of the twisted connection '9 and terminates at B. The portion 8' of the lower loop, which terminates in the end 5 of the offset loop, forms the other part of the twisted connection 9, and extends laterally therefrom at H from which it is bent upwardly to form the upper portion I 2 of the offset loop and then is bent downwardly to form the lower portion l3 which terminates in the end 5'. As shown, between the upper and lower portions I2 and IS, the offset loop is preferably brought together so as to engage the end 5', to which it' may be secured as by soldering for the purpose of stiifening the offset loop.

The upper and lower portions l2 and I3 of the offset loop thus form a double loop which is substantially of butterfly shape. It will be appreciated that slight variations in the shape and conformation of the offset loop, as well as the manner of connecting itto the paint stirrer mem ber, may be inadewithin the scope of the invention.

In forming the combination paint stirrer and brush holder out of a single piece of= wire beginning with the end 5' the wire is formed into the: butterfly loop 5 which is connected to the stirrer by the ofiset portion II, and the wire is then twisted around the longitudinal part 5 as indicated at 9 and then extends downwardly to form the leg 8' of the bottom triangular loop: From the leg 8', the wire extends into the flattened lateralseraper. Hi and thence upwardly at right an gles through the twistedportion- 9 to become the oneleg of the upper loop-1. From the leg 7' of loop! the wire extends downwardly in'to twisted portion 9 andterm-inates in" the end 6i As indicated in Fig. 3 when the improved stirrer is held. at the handle'loop 1 and. rotated in a can t paint, the bottom loop: it functions to tho oughly mix the paint; and the scraper portion: l0 frees. the: paint which has settled to the bottom of the can without lumpin the-*same an-d thoroughly" and uniformly mixes-it intotherest of the liquid. Due to the' fact that the paintis stirred by? the wire loop 8; it is more thoroughly and. rapidly mixed than when stirred by a flat paddle ,-because eaehJeg: of the wire loop 8 and 8 and its bottom bar NJ each create: a separate" flow, or stream; through the paint vehicle mixing in its color; leads, zincsgiormaterial's used in": the paint. When the stirrer is lifted from the paint it drains more rapidly because: of the small area of the wire comprising: the-loop; and should thep'ain't dry on the stirrer it may be easily cleaned with a putty knife;- or any hard or object} and used inpaint of another color: without bringing in on: desired colors. Should it be necessary-'toi'mnie diately' shift from: one color of aint to another, the same mixer'm'ay be used bywi-prng eieae with out. the =u se of thinner; etc;-

Afterfthe paint has" b'eenthoroug'hly'stirred and mixed, thestirrer'is tiltedt'ddn'e' side'of tneean" and the lower" portion F3 of the offset butterfly" loop is positionedst)-- as to engage over the top rim: oi the can. W i'th the stirrer in this" position, the": paint" may be used by dipping a brush such" as. indicated? at l 5 into the can and" applying the paint tof a desired surface. Atanytime it'is': de sired to lay the brush: aside without wast'ing the paint? or allowing the": brush b'ristl'es' todrip, the handle I 6 o'f' the -b'ru'sh insertedthrough the handle-Hopi and the uppe'r'portio'n' fz-ofi'the ofl"- set loop, in which position the brush handle is held" as indicated in Fig: 4' with the br'i'stle's (Wel the: can, the bottom part of the handle being' wedged. in the bottom of: the handle loop I and the: upper portion of the handle' engaging? the lateral p'artl-1'of the offset loopt- The novel: paint stirrer is 7 simple and" in'exp'en sively made of azsinglespiece'df wireand pr-ovides for rapidly mixing; paint in a. can to a uniform:

consistency without lumping, while at the same time providing means for holding a paint brush over the can with the stirrer inserted therein.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have 5 been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptivepurposes-j herein and: are intended to be broadly construed Moreover, the embodiment of the improved construction illustrated and described herein is by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having. now described the invention, the construction, the operation and use of a preferred embodiment thereof, and the advantageous new and usei ul results obtained thereby; the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereoit obviousto those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims;

I: claim l. A combination pai nt'sti r rer and'brush holder includinga wire stirrer member having a top" handle loop and a substantially triangular bottom loop with a straight sharp edge' at its base; said top and bottom loops having a twisted wire connection with eaeh other; a'brush hdlderloop g. laterally oifs'et from and attached: tosaid con: nection and said brush holdei lbop lia-vingia low'er portion adapted to engage over the trim of a can of paint and an: upper portion for cooperat ing with said top'handleloopto hold apai-ntbrush 5. in: position o ver said cam 2; recombination paint stirrer and brush holder" including: a wire' stirrermemberot elongatedbut terfiy shape having a'tophandlloop and a bot: tom: stirrer loop' with a; twisted wire connectioir between the loops, and" a brush holder'member attached to and" laterally offset from said connection, said bruslr holder member being of" substan-- tial: butterfly shape and having a lower loop for engaging over'the brimof a" can of pain-t and an 4 upper loop for cooperating with the tophandlE loopof said stirrer member tohold= a paint in position-oversaidcan=.-

3. A combination paint stir-i er and brushholder made of a single piece of wire and including: a

y tophandle 100p and a bottom stirrer loop'with a;

twisted wire connectionbetween the loops; the" lower end of said bottom loop having a laterally extending straight-sharp'edge, andabrushholder member laterally spaced from said: connection, said brush holder member having a lower loop ,for engaging: over the brim oi acan ofpaint and an upper loop for cooperating with-said tophandleloop to holdapaint-brush in positionover the can-.

GEORGE L. HOFFMAN;

REFERENCES" CITEIi me 0t this: patent:

om'T'Eo STATES PATEN TS N umber Name Date 4 191585 Crapo -Jan:-1'5; 1890 

